Addison bybee



(No Model.)

A. BYBEE.

RAILROAD WORK GAR.

PatentedAug. 23,1881.

- Wiiheyyey N. PUERS. Hnwmbo n mr. Wnhington. 04 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQEO ADDISON BYBEE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

RAILROAD WORK-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,937, dated August 23, 1881.

Application filed March 1, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADDISON BYBEE, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad Work-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad work-cars in which the lower halves of the sides of the cars are adapted to be folded outward andform an additional area of floor at each side of the car, and the upper halves of the sides are adapted to fold upward, forming a corresponding additional area of the roof of the car; and the object of my invention is to provide a car with bisected sides, hinged at the bottom and top of the car and adapted to fold down and up and form an extended area of floor and roof, whereby more space can be utilized in the car for working purposes. This object I accomplish by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a railroad box-car embodying my improvement, showing one side closed up and the other side open. Fig. 2 represents a vertical cross-sec tion of a box-car, showing the lower halves of each side folded down to increase the area of the floor and the upper halves folded up to increase the area of roof to correspond with the extended floor. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of a shoe for holding the supportingbrackets. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of one of the bracket-supports; and Fig. 5 is a detached section, showing the manner in which the b'racket and shoe support the extended floors against the side sill of the car.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the various views.

0 represents a box-car, the side frames of which may be made in any desired manner for strength and for supporting the roof. The sides A B A B of the car are made in halvesthat is, they are each about one-half of the height of the side, and preferably extend the whole length; but a portion of the sides only may be made to fold up and down and a portion of the car formed in the ordinary manner; or the hinged sides may be made in sections,

instead of extending the whole length of the car, if desired.

Both sides of the car being duplicates, a detail description of one side only is necessary. Thus A represents the lower half of one side of the car. Its lower edge is hinged or pivoted to the side sill, K, by the hinges F, so as to permit the section A to be folded up, as shown on one side of Fig. 1, or folded down, as in Fig. 2. The lower edge of the section A may be provided with cast-iron dovetail sockets a, Fig. 3, in which the dovetailed part 1" of the brackets H, Fig. 4, fits. The outer end of the socket a, being closed, forms a stop forthe outer end of the bracket H, and when said bracket H is inserted in the slot I) of the socket on and its rear end brought against the sill of the car, a strong, durable bracket-support is formed for the folded-down section A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and in detail in Fig. 5. ,This form of bracket and support may be varied, and various other equivalent devices substituted to support the section A when down.

The outer edge of the section A may be supported on trusses or blocks of wood, as shown at It, Fig. 2, and an additional platform, P, may also be employed, either in an inclined 1 position or-level with the floor I of the car and of the section A when down.

The extended platform 1 may be supported on trusses R or blocks to hold it in position. The upper halfor section, B, has its upper edge hinged to the side immediately under the eaves ofthe car-roof by the hinges Gr, and when folded up forms an extended roof to correspond with the extended floor below. The roofsection B is supported by suitable posts, D, held in sockets ff, or in any other convenient manner, substantially as shown.

It is obvious that when the lower side sec tions, A A, of the car are folded down, as in Fig. 2, the area of the floor of the car is nearly doubled, and that this additional area of floor is protected when the upper side sec tions, B B, are raised and held in position. When a car is located on a side track for work and the side track is close to the main track, then the side of the car away from the main track can be used, while the other side remains closed, as shown in Fig. 1; but when the ear is located far enough from the main track to permit, then both sides may be employed, as shown in Fig. 2. When the sides of the car are opened, as in Fig. 2, canvas curtains may be used at each end, it'desired, to prevent wind. and rain from entering the car at these points; or swinging dcors (not shown) may be attached to the ends of the car and fold outward, forming ends to the extended parts, as well as supports for the roof at these parts.

My improved car is of great utility, especially when work of various kinds has to be done along railroads or in their vicinity. For instance, in getting out hubs, spokes, 85c the proper machinery may be permanently located in the ear, the car run to the place where the timber is to be worked, either on the railroad, switch, or wooden track leading from the main track, which may be run quite a distance from the railroad, and the timber properly worked into shape in the car. This could not well be done in a car having closed sides, nor in an opencar without facilities for extending the area of floor and roof for convenience in working and for protection while at work.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A railroad work-car having horizontallybisected sides, the lower halves of which are hinged to the sills and adapted to fold down, and the upper halves hinged to the side of the car at the eaves and adapted to fold up, whereby an extended area of floor and roof is obtained, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a railroad work-ear, the combination of the folding sides A B A B and supports D, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADDISON BYBEE. 

